Removable structure

ABSTRACT

A removable structure to support a member between oppositely positioned support surfaces, wherein the supported member is attached to a pair of bar braces held by bar brace holders on retractive poles pressing against said support surfaces. Each bar brace holder forms a circumferential channel around its retractive pole, and one or more bar braces may be held within the channels of the bar brace holders in order to enable several supported members to be positioned in different arrangements.

United States Patent 795,362 7/1905 Numan Robert F. Dunne Inventor 130 North 49th Street, Capitola, Calif. 95060 Appl. No. 5,743 Filed Jan. 26, 1970 Patented Jan. 4, 1972 REMOVABLE STRUCTURE 3 Claims, 6 Drawing Figs.

US. Cl. 52/238, 52/494, 211/169, 248/159 Int. Cl. E04b 2/74 Field of Search 52/ 238,

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS Harr 983,439 .2/191l 211/169 2,855,037 10/1958 Stiffel 211/86 X 3,224,153 12/1965 Berman 52/495 Primary Examiner-Frank L. Abbott Assistant ExaminerR. A. Schwartz Att0meyl. Robert Mednick ABSTRACT: A removable structure to support a member between oppositely positioned support surfaces, wherein the supported member is attached to a pair of bar braces held by bar brace holders on retractive poles pressing against said support surfaces. Each bar brace holder forms a circumferential channel around its retractive pole, and one or more bar braces may be held within the channels of the bar brace holders in order to enable several supported members to be positioned in different arrangements.

PATENTEU JAN 4 I972 SHEEI 2 BF 2 INVENTOR ROBERT F. DUNNE BY mm ATTORNEY REMOVABLE STRUCTURE The present invention relates to a removable structure, and more particularly relates to a removable structure that canbe assembled and installed between opposite surfaces to temporarily retain an installed member in position.

In order to temporarily place a removable member securely in position, attachment means are generally provided to firmly retain the removable member. For example, in installing a room partition, the partition member may be attached by nails, screws or the like to other supporting structures. When the temporary installed room partition is removed, then some repair work is required to fix up the damage that occurred to the walls, ceilings, or floors to which the room partition is attached due to such type of installation. Further, some ability and experience is necessary to enable one to install and remove such an installation.

The present invention provides a removable structure to temporarily position an installed member, such as a room partition, that can be easily and quickly assembled and installed and thereafter removed without causing any damage that requires repair work.

Accordingly, it is an object of this invention to provide a removable structure for firmly supporting a temporary installed member that can be easily and quickly installed and removed.

It is another object of this invention to provide a removable structure for supporting a temporary installed member without causing any damage to the surfaces to which it is attached.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a removable structure for supporting a temporary installed member, and which can be utilized with differently shaped installed members.

A further object of this invention is to provide a removable structure for supporting a variety of combinations of temporary installed members.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of the invention, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, will be better understood from the following description considered with the accompanying drawings in which several embodiments of the invention are illustrated by way of example. It is to be expressly understood, however, that the drawings are for the purpose of illustration and description only, and are not intended as a definition of the limits of the invention.

FIG. 1 is a front view of a removable structure of this invention showing a pair of retractive poles capable of pressing against the floor and ceiling of a room, and holding a supported member such as a room partition therebetween.

FIG. 2 is an enlarged view of one of the retractive poles and its associated longitudinal bar braces shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 3a is a further enlarged sectional view of the top portion of the retractive pole with its upper bar brace holder seen in FIG. 2.

FIG. 3b is a further enlarged sectional view of the lower portion of the retractive pole with its lower bar brace holder seen in FIG. 2.

FIG. 4 is a view of the removable structure of this invention showing three retractive poles for holding a pair of partition members.

FIG. 5 is a top perspective view of another removable holding structure arrangement of this invention showing partition supported members angularly extending from a central retractive pole, each supported member being also held by another retractive pole.

Referring now to the figures, there is seen in FIG. 1 a front view of one embodiment of a removable structure of this invention showing a pair of retractive or retractable poles generally designated as and 11. Pole 10 has a first end section 12, an intermediate section 13, and a second end section 14. Pole 10 has one bar brace holder near its upper end, and has another bar brace holder 16 near its lower end. A longitudinal bar brace 17 is connected to one side of a supported member such as a room partition 18. The ends of bar brace 17 are supported by bar brace holders 15 and 16. Pole 11 is seen to be identical to pole l0, and it has a first end section 19, an intermediate section 20, a second end section 21. Pole 11 has one bar brace holder 22 near its upper end, and has another bar brace holder 23 near its lower end. its longitudinal bar brace 24 is connected to the other side of supported member 18. The ends of bar brace 24 are supported by bar brace holders 22 and 23. The ends of poles l0 and 11 bear against oppositely positioned support surfaces such as a ceiling 25 and a floor 26 of a room of a building.

As also seen in FIG. 2, intennediate section I3 of pole 10 includes three cylindrical pole segments 13a, 13b, and 130. Pole segments 13a and 13b have end portions and 13b of a reduced diameter (shown by dotted lines in FIG. 2) to enable them to fit into the inside of their adjoining pole segments 13!: and 13c respectively, and therefore be connected thereto. Accordingly, intermediate section 13 is formed of a plurality of interconnected pole segments. In this manner, pole segments of appropriate lengths can be utilized to accommodate such different distances that may exist between oppositely support surfaces such as ceiling 25 and floor 26. Longitudinal bar brace 17 is an integral rigid member, and has countersunk holes 17a to enable screws or bolts to be used to connect it to the side of room partition 18. Bar brace 17 is seen to extend along the length of pole l0, and has a concave curved surface 17b conforming to the curve of the pole segments of intermediate section 13.

An enlarged view of the top portion of retractive pole 10 with its bar brace holder 15 is shown in cross section in FIG. 3a. A spring support 27 comprising a cylindrical insert 27a that fits inside the end of pole segment 13a and has a flange 27b extending over the end of pole segment 13a. A spring 28 is attached to the base 27c of spring support 27. First end section 12 has a flat bearing member 12a forming one end of pole 10 in order to press against ceiling 25. First end section 12 also has a hollow tube 12b extending from flat bearing member 12a. Hollow tube 12b fits around spring 28 and can slide within cylindrical insert 270 so that first end section 12 can compress spring 28 to provide a reacting resilient force. Bar brace holder 15 is seen to be an inverted cup-shaped member with a central opening 151: to fit over flange 27b in order to form a circumferential channel 15b around the top portion of pole segment 13a of intermediate section 13.

An enlarged view of the lower portion of retractive pole 10 with its bar brace holder 16 is shown in cross section in FIG. 3b. Second end section 14 is formed of a hollow tube that fits inside the end of pole segment 13c, and has a wide flange 14b extending over the end of pole segment 13c. Second end section 14 also has a flat bearing member 14c closing one end of hollow tube 14a and forming the other end of pole 10 which bears against support surface 26. Bar brace holder 16 is seen to be a cup-shaped member with a central opening 16a fitting around pole segment 13c to rest on flange 14b. As seen in the drawings, bar brace holder 16 forms a circumferential channel 16b around the bottom portion of pole segment 13c of intermediate section 13.

In assembling the above-described embodiment of the removable structure of this invention, longitudinal bar braces 17 and 24 are initially attached by screws or the like to the sides of room partition 18. Then, retractive poles l0 and II are assembled. Pole 10 is assembled by first inserting hollow tube 14a of second end section 14 into pole segment 13a with bar brace holder 16 placed around bottom pole segment 13c to rest on the top of flange 14b of second end section 14. Then the reduced end portions 13a and 13b of pole segments 13a and 13b are inserted into pole segments 13b and 13c respectively, forming intermediate section 13. Cylindrical insert 27a of spring support 27 with its spring 28 is now inserted into the top of pole segment 13a, and bar brace holder 15 is placed on flange 27b of spring support 27. Then, first end section 12 is inserted around spring 28 and within cylindrical insert 27a of spring support 27. Flat bearing member 14c of second end section 14 is positioned on floor 26, and first end section 12 is pressed downward to compress spring 28. Pole is moved into a vertical position to allow flat bearing member 12a of first end section 12 to engage ceiling 25. When the downward pressure on spring 28 is released, spring 28 will cause the opposite ends of pole 10 to press against the opposite surfaces of floor 26 and ceiling 25. Pole 11 is similarly assembled and installed in a desired position to accommodate room partition 18 with its bar braces 17 and 24. The upper ends of bar braces 17 and 24 are inserted into channels 15b and 22b of bar brace holders l5 and 22, and the lower ends of bar braces 17 and 24 are inserted into channels 16b and 23b of bar brace holders l6 and 23. When bar braces 17 and 24 are inserted in the channels of lower bar brace holders 16 and 23, bar braces 17 and 24 will be lowered, but their upper ends will not clear upper bar brace holders 15 and 22. Accordingly, the upper ends of bar braces 17 and 24 will still be laterally supported by bar brace holders 15 and 22. If bar braces 17 and 24 are a little longer, then upper bar brace holders 15 and 22 can be raised to allow the upper ends to be inserted into channels 15b and 22b, and thereafter bar brace holders l5 and 22 are lowered to laterally support bar braces 17 and 24. When assembled as above described, the removable structure of this invention will support room partition 18 or any other such member in position in between opposite surfaces 25 and 26.

In order to disassemble the removable structure, bar braces 17 and 24 with its partition 18 is initially removed. Then first end sections 12 and 19 of poles 10 and 11 may be pressed downward to allow poles 10 and 11 to be tilted and moved away from surfaces 25 and 26. Poles 10 and 11 can then be disassembled and ready for use in another place when desired.

It will be realized that the previously described removable structure can be adapted for several different types of partition arrangements. For example, in FIG. 4 is shown an embodiment wherein two room partitions 30 and 31 are set up in tandem. Poles 32, 33, and 34, with their connecting parts and members being identical to those described in the previous figures, are similarly assembled and installed. Bar brace 35 connects to bar brace holders 36 and 37 of pole 32; bar braces 38 and 39 connect to the brace holders 40 and 41 of pole 33; and bar brace 42 connects to the brace holders 43 and 44 of pole 35. Each of the described bar brace holders can hold the ends of several bar braces. If it is desired, additional partitions may be added in a similar manner to provide a series of positioned partitions.

The assembly and installation of the arrangement shown in Flg. 4 is similar to that shown in FIG. 1, except that FIG. 4 also includes another supported member, an additional retractive pole, and an additional pair of bar braces. Furthermore, it will be realized that the supported partitions may be angularly arranged as seen in FIG. 5. Therein, retractive pole 45 acts as the central pole, and each partition 46, 47, 48, and 49 is connected to another pole and also to centrally positioned retractive pole 45 in the same manner as previously described.

The poles and their bar braces may be made of lightweight rigid material such as aluminum or the like. The described bar brace holders can support several braces and therefore allow various arrangements of supported members between opposite surfaces. It will also be realized that room partitions have been herein illustrated as the indicated supported members by way of example, but other types of supported members may be positioned by the removable structure of this invention.

Having herein described the invention, what is claimed as new is:

1. A removable structure for attaching to oppositely positioned support surfaces, said removable structure comprising:

a pair of retractable poles, each pole having two sections and a spring, said sections pressing against the spring to force the opposite ends of the pole to press against the oppositely positioned support surfaces, and each pole having a bar brace holder near each of its ends; a pair of longitudinal bar braces, the ends of each bar brace being held by the bar brace holders of a pole; and

a supported member, each of the longitudinal bar braces being secured to opposite sides of the supported member, said pair of retractive poles being spaced from each other to be held by the oppositely positioned support surfaces to allow each longitudinal bar brace connected to the supported member to be held by its bar brace holders, and wherein each of the bar brace holders forms a circumferential channel around its retractable pole, and the ends of the bar braces are held within said circumferential channels formed by the bar brace holders.

2. A removable structure for attaching to oppositely positioned support surfaces, said removable structure comprising:

a pair of retractable poles, each pole having a first end section, an intermediate section, and a second end section, each pole having a spring between an end section and the intermediate section to force the opposite ends of the poles to press against the oppositely positioned support surfaces, and each pole having a bar brace holder near each of the opposite ends of the intermediate section;

a pair of longitudinal bar braces, the ends of each bar brace being held by the bar brace holders of a pole; and

a supported member, each of the longitudinal bar braces being secured to opposite sides of the supported member, said pair of retractive poles being spaced from each other to be held by the oppositely positioned support surfaces to allow each longitudinal bar brace connected to the supported member to be held by its bar brace holders, and wherein each of the bar brace holders forms a circumferential channel around its retractable pole, and the ends of the bar braces are held within said circumferential channels formed by the bar brace holders.

3. A removable structure for attaching to oppositely positioned support surfaces, said removable structure comprising:

a plurality of retractable poles, each pole having two sections and a spring, said sections pressing against the spring to force the opposite ends of the pole to press against the oppositely positioned support surfaces, and each pole having a bar brace holder near each of its ends;

a plurality of longitudinal bar braces, the ends of each bar brace being held by the bar brace holders of a pole; and

a plurality of supported members, each supported member having a bar brace secured to each side thereof, one of the bar braces secured to each supported member being held by the bar brace holders of a centrally positioned retractive pole, and the other bar brace secured to each supported member being held by the bar brace holders of one of the other of the plurality of retractive poles, whereby said supported members are angularly positioned about the centrally positioned retractable pole, and wherein each of the bar brace holders forms a circumferential channel around its retractable pole, and the ends of the bar braces are held within said circumferential channels formed by the bar brace holders. 

1. A removable structure for attaching to oppositely positioned support surfaces, said removable structure comprising: a pair of retractable poles, each pole having two sections and a spring, said sections pressing against the spring to force the opposite ends of the pole to press against the oppositely positioned support surfaces, and each pole having a bar brace holder near each of its ends; a pair of longitudinal bar braces, the ends of each bar brace being held by the bar brace holders of a pole; and a supported member, each of the longitudinal bar braces being secured to opposite sides of the supported member, said pair of retractive poles being spaced from each other to be held by the oppositely positioned support surfaces to allow each longitudinal bar brace connected to the supported member to be held by its bar brace holders, and wherein each of the bar brace holders forms a circumferential channel around its retractable pole, and the ends of the bar braces are held within said circumferential channels formed by the bar brace holders.
 2. A removable structure for attaching to oppositely positioned support surfaces, said removable structure comprising: a pair of retractable poles, each pole having a first end section, an intermediate section, and a second end section, each pole having a spring between an end section and the intermediate section to force the opposite ends of the poles to press against the oppositely positioned support surfaces, and each pole having a bar brace holder near each of the opposite ends of the intermediate section; a pair of longitudinal bar braces, the ends of each bar brace being held by the bar brace holders of a pole; and a supported member, each of the longitudinal bar braces being secured to opposite sides of the supported member, said pair of retractive poles being spaced from each other to be held by the oppositely positioned support surfaces to allow each longitudinal bar brace connected to the supported member to be held by its bar brace holders, and wherein each of the bar brace holders forms a circumferential channel around its retractable pole, and the ends of the bar braces are held within said circumferential channels formed by the bar brace holders.
 3. A removable structure for attaching to oppositely positioned support surfaces, said removable structure comprising: a plurality of retractable poles, each pole having two sections and a spring, said sections presSing against the spring to force the opposite ends of the pole to press against the oppositely positioned support surfaces, and each pole having a bar brace holder near each of its ends; a plurality of longitudinal bar braces, the ends of each bar brace being held by the bar brace holders of a pole; and a plurality of supported members, each supported member having a bar brace secured to each side thereof, one of the bar braces secured to each supported member being held by the bar brace holders of a centrally positioned retractive pole, and the other bar brace secured to each supported member being held by the bar brace holders of one of the other of the plurality of retractive poles, whereby said supported members are angularly positioned about the centrally positioned retractable pole, and wherein each of the bar brace holders forms a circumferential channel around its retractable pole, and the ends of the bar braces are held within said circumferential channels formed by the bar brace holders. 